Actuating handle for dispensing cans



Nov. 15, 1960 L. F. KUTIK 2,960,260

ACTUATING HANDLE FOR DISPENSING CANS Filed May 20, 1959 i G. 4 INVENTOR.

Lows E Ku'rm H TTORNEY ACTUATING HANDLE FQR DISPENSWG CANS Louis F. Kutik, West Hollywood, Fla. (5601 SW. 56th St, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)

Filed May 20, 1959, Ser. No. 814,627

3 Claims. (Cl. 222-473) This invention relates to actuating means for dispensers of the Aerosol type.

Dispensing containers of the Aerosol or spray mist type are conventionally provided at their tops with reciprocatory push button valve means adapted to be operated by a finger of the user during spraying operations. This necessitates the user grasping the container by hand and placing a finger upon the dispensing push button in close proximity to the aperture through which the spray mist discharges from the container. The dispenser frequently contains paint, liquid insecticide or other poisonous material which should not be allowed to contact the skin directly in any appreciable quantity. Hence, in many cases, it is highly undesirable to use dispensers of this type without the aid of some means to enable the user to operate the dispenser without holding the same directly in the hand and operating the dispensing push button with a finger or the thumb.

An object of this invention is to provide an actuator for spray mist dispensers of the above-mentioned type, which actuator enables the user to support the dispensing cont ainer in spaced relation to the hand and to operate the push button means of the dispenser without contacting the same directly with a finger or the thumb.

A further object of the invention is to provide an actuator for dispensers of the above-mentioned character, which actuator is in the nature of a handle attachment for the dispenser with simplified manually operable means to depress the push button valve means of the dispenser without touching the same directly with the hand.

Another object is to provide an actuating handle attachment for dispensers of the above-mentioned type, which attachment is of one piece or unitary construction and formed entirely of material which is somewhat resilient so that parts of the actuating attachment may be moved by the user by a simple gripping action to cause the desired dispensing of the fluid material, said parts returning automatically to inactive non-dispensing positions when the user merely relaxes his grip on the attachment.

A further object is to provide an actuating handle attachment of the above-mentioned type which is extremely simplified, lightweight, durable in construction, and very inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an actuating handle attachment for dispensers in accordance with the invention and showing the attachment applied to the dispenser, with the latter illustrated in broken lines.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the handle attachment shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan View of the same.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken on line 44 of Figure 1.

2,960,260 Patented Nov. 15, 1960 Figure 5 is a generally horizontal section taken on line 5--5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line 6-6 of Figure 1.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 10 designates in its entirety the actuating handle attachment for a conventional spray mist dispensing receptacle 11, provided at its top with the usual reciprocatory push button dispensing valve element 12 having a dispensing aperture 13, as indicated.

The handle attachment 10 is of one piece or unitary construction throughout, and the entire attachment is formed preferably of some suitable lightweight plastics material, or the like, having sufficient strength and resiliency to perform the desired operation to be described hereinafter. Any material having the above-mentioned physical characteristics may be employed for making the handle attachment it but the same may be manufactured most readily and economically by molding from a suitable plastics material, as stated.

The attachment It} comprises an elongated bifurcated hand grip portion 14 which is inclined somewhat from the vertical, Figure 1, when the attachment is applied to the dispenser 11 and the latter is in a level position. The hand grip portion 14 comprises parallel spaced arms 15 and 16 of a length to be conveniently gripped by hand, and the lower corresponding ends of these arms are integrally joined by a crossbar or web 17, as shown. As best indicated by Figure 5, each arm 15 and 16 is T-shaped in cross section and includes an outer longitudinal flat bar portion 18 and an inwardly projecting longitudinal rib 19 integral therewith and joined to the bar portion 18 at its transverse center. The lower connecting web 17 may be provided with a stiffening gusset 29 between the lower ends of the arms 15 and i6, and this gusset is preferably formed in two parts or slotted longitudinally as shown at 21, for a purpose to be described. The gusset 20 may be omitted entirely, if preferred. The forward arm 15 of hand grip portion 14 is somewhat shorter than the rear arm 16 as shown in Figure 1.

A forwardly projecting generally horizontal support extension 22 is integrally secured to the upper end of the arm 15 and arranged generally at right angles thereto and to the entire hand grip portion 14. The support extension 22 is generally inverted T-shaped in cross section and includes a lower bar portion 23, preferably of the same width as the bar portions 18, and an upstanding stiffening web 24 is formed integral with the bar portion 23 at the transverse center of the same and extends at right angles thereto. The forward end of support extension 22 carries a horizontal generally semi-circular yoke 25 which is channel-shaped in cross section, Figure 2, so as to provide spaced upper and lower inwardly projecting flanges 26 and 27 and an annular marginal wall 28. The forward side of yoke 25 is open for somewhat less than degrees of a full circle, Figures 3 and 4. The channel-shaped yoke 25 is somewhat resilient and is formed integral with the forward end of the support extension 22. The yoke 25 is adapted for engagement over an annular radial flange 29 of dispensing container 11, as shown in Figure 1. The yoke may be snapped over the flange 29 by merely engaging the open side of the yoke with the flange 29 and forcing the yoke forwardly horizontally. The sides of the yoke will yield outwardly sufliciently to engage about the flange 29 and to become firmly yet detachably secured thereto. The yoke 25 is entirely open in its central portion forwardly of the support extension 22 as clearly shown in Figure 4. The entire attachment It) is bodily supported upon the dispensing container 11 through the meditunof the yoke 25, and the yoke forms the sole means for detachably securing the handle attachment to the dispenser.

Arranged above the support extension 22 and yoke 25 and substantially parallel therewith is a rocker arm or lever 30, also substantially T-shaped in cross section and embodying an upper flat bar portion 31 and a depending stiffening web 32 formed integral with the bar portion 31 at its transverse center and arranged at right angles thereto. The rocker mm 30 is supported near its longitudinal center upon a vertical hinge forming web 33, formed integral with the rocker arm and the underlying support extension 22. The web 33 is preferably of the same width as the bar portions 23 and 31, measured transversely of the attachment, Figures 2 and 4. The web 33 is preferably undercut near its longitudinal center and between the rocker arm 3%) and support extension 22, as indicated at 34-, in order to form a reduced resilient hinge portion 35 upon the web 33. This arrangement renders the web 33 more readily bendable at its reduced portion 35 so that the web may constitute a resilient fulcrum or hinge for the rocker arm 30. The web 33 forms the sole support for the vertically swingable rocker arm 30.

The rocker arm 30 has a somewhat reduced forward extension 36 formed integral therewith and extending beyond the vertical web 32, and a depending vertical push button actuating pin 37 is integrally secured to the forward end of reduced extension 36 as indicated. The pin 37 is arranged directly above and in axial alignment with the push button dispensing valve means 12 of the spray mist dispenser.

The rear end of rocker arm 30 is formed to provide an inclined smooth cam face 38, preferably of the same width as the bar portion 31 and integral therewith. A correspondingly inclined wall 3 is formed upon the upper end of the rear hand grip arm 16 in underlying spaced relation to the cam face 38. A camming element or pin 40 is formed integral with the top of arm 16 and has its upper end rounded as shown for sliding engagement with the cam face 38 when the arms 15 and 16 are squeezed together in a manner to be described. If preferred, the camming element 40 may be dispensed with and the arm 16 may be made a little longer so that the inclined wall 39 may contact the cam face 38 directly when the arms 15 and 16 are drawn together.

A stop element 41 is preferably formed upon the upper end of arm 15 for positive engagement with the web 19 of arm 16 to limit the forward swinging movement of the latter during the operation of the invention.

A curved finger rest 42 is preferably formed upon the forward side of the arm 15 near the top thereof to facilitate gripping the hand grip portion 14.

An upstanding spray deflector 43 is formed integral with the support extension 22, adjacent the rear side of the yoke 25. The purpose of this spray deflector is to prevent the user from accidently spraying the contents of the dispenser back upon himself in the event that the attachment should be applied to the dispenser with the aperture 13 of push button 12 facing rearwardly. Ob uiously, the aperture 13 should always be arranged forwardly or substantially forwardly relative to the handle attachment and care should be taken to adjust the attachment properly in this respect whenever it is applied to the dispenser. The spray deflector 43 may be omitted entirely if preferred.

In the use or operation of the attachment, the circularly curved yoke 25 is applied to the annular flange 29 of dispenser 11 in the manner previously described, and the flange 29 will readily snap into the channel recess of the yoke. The yoke will snugly engage the flange 29 so that the attachment 10 is rigidly yet detachably con nected therewith.

The dispenser 10 may now be picked up with the attachment and to efiect this the user grasps the hand grip portion 14 with one hand. *For comfort and convenience, the index finger should engage the rest 42 and the thumb should engage the rear side of the arm 16.

In order to dispense the ingredients of the container 11, the hand grip portion 14 is squeezed by the user for shifting the upper end portions of the arms 15 and 16 together. The lower crossbar 17 will yield and bend to permit this action and the slot 21 will allow the gusset sections 20 to move toward each other. The stop element 41 will limit the forward movement of resilient arm 16 toward the arm 15, so that the element 40 will never pass entirely forwardly of the inclined cam face 38.

When the above gripping operation takes place, the resilient arm 16 will swing forwardly and when this occurs, the element 40 will slide against the inclined cam face 38 and the rocker arm 30 will turn counter-clockwise on the hinge forming web 33. This action will cause the depending pin 37 to move downwardly and depress the push button valve means 12 of the dispenser. When this occurs, the liquid contents of the dispenser will discharge through the aperture 13 as a fine spray mist in the usual manner. The dispensing of the contents of the receptacle 11 will continue for as long as the parts are held by the user in their relative positions.

As soon as the user relaxes his grip on the hand grip portion 14, the rocker arm 30 and the arm 16 will return automatically to their normal inactive positions shown in full lines in Figure l, and it is the inherent resiliency of the material in the web 33 and crossbar 17 which will return the elements 30 and 16 automatically to their inactive positions.

It is apparent that by the invention an actuating handle attachment for Aerosol type dispensers is provided, and the said attachment is formed in one piece with no separable or adjustable parts. The resilient plastics material or the like from which the attachment is made renders it possible to achieve the desired movement of the rocker arm 30 by merely squeezing the hand grip portion 14 with the hand and subsequently releasing it. The use of the attachment renders the dispenser much more convenient to use and also safer to use for the reasons already explained.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An actuating handle attachment for a dispenser of the class described, said attachment being unitary in construction and formed of resilient material and comprising a bifurcated hand grip portion including a pair of spaced arms shiftable toward each other when the hand grip portion is squeezed, one end of one arm of the hand grip portion being formed to provide a camming element, a support extension carried by the corresponding end of the other arm of the hand grip portion and extending generally at right angles to the hand grip portion and beyond one side thereof, means carried by the support extension and connectable to said dispenser to facilitate lifting and manipulating the dispenser, a rocker arm spaced from the support extension and substantially parallel thereto and having an inclined cam face near one end thereof adjacent to said camming element and engageable with the latter when the arms of the hand grip portion are squized together, a resilient element interconnecting the rocker arm and support extension and serving as a pivot for the rocker arm when the latter is rocked due to engagement of the camming element with said cam face, and an element secured to the rocker arm near its end remote from the hand grip portion and engageable with a movable element of the dispenser to operate the dispenser when the rocker arm is rocked in one direction.

2. A handle attachment for a spray mist dispenser having a push button, said attachment comprising a hand grip portion including a movable part, a support extension carried by the hand grip portion and adapted for connection with the dispenser, a rocker member disposed opposite the support extension and having a first part to actuate said push button and a second part in the path of travel of said movable part, and a web interconnecting the support extension and rocker member intermediate the ends of the rocker member and having a portion of reduced thickness serving as a resilient hinge.

3. A handle attachment for a spray mist dispenser according to claim 2, and wherein said second part of the rocker member has an inclined cam face engageable by said movable part of the hand grip portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,803,383 Dickman et a1. Aug. 20, 1957 2,820,578 Dickman Jan. 21, 1958 2,868,421 Schott Jan. 13, 1959 2,877,934 Wallace Mar. 17, 1959 2,884,166 Vosbikian et a1 Apr. 28, 1959 

